For a fun, family dinner that cooks in just minutes, try Japanese Chicken Katsu – tender chicken cutlets pan-fried to a shattering crunch!
Irresistibly crispy outside and so succulent inside, this remarkable Japanese Chicken Katsu recipe is one you’ll be happy to make on repeat! Thin-sliced chicken cutlets breaded with eggs, flour, and Panko are fried to golden perfection. The savory sauce is made with soy, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, sriracha, ketchup, and garlic for an incredible Asian flavor explosion! Serve with rice, cabbage, or roasted green veggies – this quick & easy dinner is the BEST!
Panko Makes Super Crispy Katsu!
The flavors in this Asian entree are amazing! Savory, sweet, succulent & spectacular! But it’s the texture – that crispy crunch of the chicken that will win you over! And the best part is: IT’S SO EASY TO MAKE. The breading process (first flour, then egg, then Panko) ensures the breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken without flaking off during the quick fry in hot oil. This keeps the meat tender and juicy while the Panko gives you a crackling golden crust!
Other Recipes to Serve with Katsu Chicken
- Traditional Japanese Miso Soup – a warm, soothing broth that’s bursting with savory flavor!
- Edamame Snap Pea Salad with Ginger Dressing is a crispy, satisfying salad with a delightful sesame ginger dressing!
Ingredients
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets, pounded thin, make it possible to pan-fry quickly and provide a large surface area for crispy breading!
Breading: To bread the chicken, we’re seasoning it with salt & pepper, then dredging it in flour, eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs for that amazing CRUNCH!
Oil: Use your favorite frying oil. If you aren’t sure, peanut or canola both work fine!
Sauce: The sauce is spectacular – made from Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, garlic powder, ketchup and garlic powder. Easy but with a serious WOW factor!
How to Make Japanese Chicken Katsu
STEP ONE: In a small bowl, mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
STEP TWO: Remove the tenderloin from each chicken breast to make them easier to work with. (Save them for another recipe.) Then, liberally season the chicken all over with salt & pepper.
STEP THREE: Separately, in 3 shallow bowls, add flour, beaten eggs, and Panko breadcrumbs. Coat each piece of chicken in flour, then in egg (allow the excess to drip off), and finally dredge it through the breadcrumbs, pressing lightly to fully coat the chicken with Panko. Repeat with each chicken breast.
STEP FOUR: Heat the oil in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Place the chicken in the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until the coating is golden and the chicken is cooked through. (You may need to cook in batches to keep from overcrowding.)
STEP FIVE: Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. Serve warm over some shredded green cabbage with cooked white rice. Generously drizzle with the katsu sauce and sprinkle with sliced green onion for garnish. YUM!
Tips for Success
- Be careful not to overcook the chicken. Because the cutlets are thinly sliced, they will cook quickly – too long will dry them out.
- Finely crushed breadcrumbs will work if you don’t have Panko, but it won’t be as crispy.
- Gluten-free Panko is available to make this recipe gluten-friendly!
- Leftover Chicken Katso makes great sandwiches – layer the chicken slices with cabbage or slaw on your favorite bread – delicious and different!
- This recipe can be made with boneless chicken thighs or pork loin steaks in place of chicken.
What is Katsu?
In Japanese cuisine, “Katsu” (short for katsuretsu) simply means “cutlet”. So, katsu dishes feature chicken or pork cutlets. The meat is often breaded with Panko breadcrumbs, making it deliciously crispy. Most katsu is served over rice or shredded cabbage with a thick, sweet-and-savory soy-based sauce.
Can You Make Katsu Chicken Ahead of Time?
This recipe is best made fresh, but you CAN do some prep work in advance! Meal-prep this dish the morning of by pounding the chicken breasts thinly and sealing airtight in the fridge for up to 12 hours. Make the sauce and do the same. When you’re ready to eat, bread and fry the chicken, and finish the recipe – with the prep work done, the rest will come together in just minutes but taste fresh and fabulous!
Other Incredible Japanese-Inspired Recipes
- Shrimp Tempura
- Roasted Miso Chicken
- Tuna Avocado Sushi Cups
- Quick Shrimp Stir Fry
- Summer Veggie Udon Noodle Stir Fry
- Asian Ramen Salad
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 ½ cups Panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Katsu Sauce
- 4 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (light or dark)
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon sriracha
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Green onion thinly sliced, for garnish
- Green cabbage shredded, for serving
- Cooked white rice for serving
Instructions
- Add the Katsu sauce ingredients to a small bowl. Mix together until combined. Set aside.
- Remove the chicken tender from each breast and save them for another recipe. (This makes the chicken easier to work with.) Season the chicken generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Use shallow bowls to set up a dredge station with flour in the first bowl, beaten eggs in the second bowl, and panko in the third bowl. Dip the chicken into the flour, then the eggs, and finally the panko, coating each breast completely.
- Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Once hot (300F, but not over 325F), fry each chicken breast for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined platter to drain. (I cooked the chicken in two batches.)
- Drizzle with Katsu sauce and serve warm over shredded green cabbage alongside cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired.
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